News & Views of Phillips Since 1976
Tuesday December 16th 2025
Peace House Community “Poetical Picture Story”
“A Little United Nations”
By MIKE HAZARD
“As the person who has been at Peace House Community the longest (34 years), my heart is breaking,” emails Catherine Mamer. “Never did I think it would come to this, but I realized it was the only choice we had.” Peace House Community has had to close the doors for now to keep everyone at a safe distance.
“What do I love about the Peace House Community? Almost everything,” enthuses Catherine. “I love that it is a little United Nations. Where can you find so many people of so much difference all together and getting along? I love that people are mostly respected and learn to care about one another. I love that people who have moved away come back and are so happy to see us still here.
“I love that people write to us from prison and tell us how much they miss us and can”™t wait to come for coffee and meditation when they get out. I love meditation and that people share their wisdom and their pain and their life with others. I love that our volunteers are dedicated and never miss their days and stay for years.”
People often wonder how they can volunteer at Peace House Community.… Read the rest “Peace House Community “Poetical Picture Story””
Peace House Community”“A Place to Belong
Remembering We”™re (Sort Of) All in This Together
By MARTI MALTBY
In one sense I hate mentioning the Coronavirus pandemic, because no one needs to be reminded of it and I would love to provide an escape from it. On the other hand, it has illustrated one of society”™s strange paradoxes that has been on the edge of my thoughts since last year.
When it comes to surviving the pandemic, many people say that “We”™re all in this together”, meaning we (as individuals) need to cooperate with the measures that we (as a society) must follow to stop the disease from spreading. Those people want to evoke an image of community, cooperation and everyone pitching in to accomplish a common cause.
And how do we do this? By staying as far from each other as possible, minimizing social (let alone physical) contact and generally isolating ourselves from each other.… Read the rest “Peace House Community”“A Place to Belong”
Tales from Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery
Covid-19 Postpones 162nd Memorial Day at the Cemetery
By SUE HUNTER WEIR, 176th in a Series
Remembering Memorial Days Passed
We held off making this decision as long as we could hoping that we would not have to end a 162-year tradition, but we have no choice””this year”™s Memorial Day program will not take place as usual or as planned. These are unsettling times for everyone and the most important thing is to keep everyone safe.
Covid-19 is only one of many pandemics that have occurred throughout history. There have also been a number of smaller, local epidemics. In Minneapolis, in the mid-to-late 1900s, outbreaks of typhoid fever occurred every year in the late summer and early fall. Cholera infantum occurred around the same time. There were outbreaks of measles and whooping cough and smallpox. The leading cause of death among adults was tuberculosis (also known as consumption or phthisis pulmonary) which occurred any time of the year. It came to be known as the White Plague and continued to be a leading cause of death well into the twentieth century. The good news is that most of these diseases are now rare in the United States. Better sanitation, clean water, vaccinations, antibiotics, and other medications have saved countless lives.… Read the rest “Tales from Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery”
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